Target 51
by Fivercon
Summary: Philosophy has always been easy for Sakura but everything changes when she becomes wanted by two mysterious leagues. Values and notions become muddled as she struggles to survive and discern the line between good and evil. SasuSaku and others. AU.
1. Prologue

Author's Note: I am so happy that I've decided to start a new Naruto fic! The idea for this story just came out of nowhere to me and I was filled with exciting ideas once again. And finally after a tedious week, I found some spare time to actually type it out! I'm hoping that I will handle this fic tastefully in the action/adventure category. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

Prologue

* * *

"How long has it been?"

"See for yourself."

A young man took the clipboard from his assistant's hand and sighed heavily. They were so close to the end yet these last pieces of the puzzle were without a doubt, the most difficult to put together. Good thing people called him a genius. However, there was always a downside with him and that was his laziness. He flopped down on his desk and screwed up his tired eyes to read the small details on the paper.

After ten minutes of silent contemplation, his assistant began to lose her patience. Her brows furrowed at the long wait and her light blue eyes glared at the man whose own eyes seemed glued to one spot on the paper. A tapping noise suddenly snapped him out of his stupor. He glanced around and realized the origin of the annoying sounds.

"Can you please stop that?" His assistant stopped tapping her foot but glowered at him even more. He lowered the clipboard and slightly frowned at the woman's right foot that had been tapping against the shiny linoleum floor. _Women and their high-heeled shoes. Great_. He went back to the clipboard with a yawn. He definitely needed some coffee. Another ten minutes passed by when the sound began again.

"Will you please hurry up?" snapped the woman. It was late at night and people's dispositions were not exactly pleasant. Even being in the position of an assistant didn't affect her attitude towards her superior. The day had been long and arduous and her appearance showed the strenuous effort. Her fair blonde hair that had been held up in a long neat ponytail that morning was messy, her make-up had worn off and the dark circles under her eyes became more and more prominent as the night dragged on.

"Ino, this takes time," explained the man tiredly as he leaned back in his leather chair. Nonetheless, he slid the clipboard on the desk to her apparently finished reading. Ino looked surprised and hoped that it indicated that he'd figure out what to do. "It seems today is good. Tell them to use Procedure 16."

Her impatience suddenly melted away. She looked to the floor and slowly took the clipboard off his desk. "Shikamaru-" At the call of his name, he looked up. Shikamaru knew where this was going and although he didn't want to admit that he felt the same as she did, there was a job to do.

"You know what's going to happen eventually anyway." His voice was softer but held a firm tone. Ino knew what that meant and left the room quietly with no other protests. Shikamaru continued to look at the door for several moments after it had been closed, then he reached for an earpiece to listen to the inevitable conversation that would soon follow. Settling back into his chair, he slowly rubbed his eyes and leaned back as far as he could while folding his arms behind his head for some support. Another step had been made and he hoped that it would soon be all over. _Damn, I need some coffee._

* * *

Her heels clicked on the floor despondently. She knew that with every step she took, the ending was coming for that person and that she was going to be one responsible. As she reached the control room, she showed her clipboard to the operator standing by.

"Procedure 16."

"Right away ma'am." Ino put on an earpiece to listen in. Shikamaru, herself and four others were the only ones authorized to be a part of the interrogation process. The operator turned on a switch that illuminated a small room down below them. From their level, they could examine the procedure through the glass and supposedly take notes on the victim's response and behavior. Afterwards, they were to analyze such reactions and make a study of the victim's psychological condition.

Looking below, Ino saw a young woman only about a couple of years older than herself, strapped into a chair. Her dark blonde hair was completely disheveled and her skeletal frame looked dwarfed by the huge, steel chair. Her arms and legs were held down by metal cuffs that were securely bolted down, ensuring her no escape.

The operator pushed another button to open the door into the room. A man clad in a black suit nonchalantly entered and sat down directly across from her; most of his face concealed by a mask. In contrast to his dark attire however, his spiky hair was silver and it stood out against his overall appearance. At the man's entrance, the woman stirred and began trembling.

"Today's the day." The man greeted her casually as though he was talking to a longtime friend.

"Say what you want. I don't give a damn." seethed the woman as her breathing became more ragged with each breath. But her rude attitude did not faze him as he continued his conversation.

"You know that's not true," laughed the man. "If it was, you would have told me a long time ago," Hearing this, the woman wriggled against her tight restraints in an attempt to break free causing the man to laugh again at her futile efforts. "Now without any further ado, let's get you talking." He motioned to Ino above who then reluctantly gave the signal to the operator to start. Following orders, he reached for a knob that indicated Procedure 16's three levels of power.

At once the chair vibrated with electricity and the woman's cry echoed throughout the small room and in the earpieces of all those that were listening in; the despair and suffering crackled through the transmitting causing a few to wince at the thought of her torture. After five long seconds, the man ordered for the electrocution to be stopped temporarily. He glanced at the victim who was quivering from the painful shocks; her teeth rattled together as she felt the unbearable numbness that seeped through her very bones. The woman was already very weak and it was only short matter of time until the last moments of her pathetic existence was over. Unsatisfied with the results, the man sighed. He was tired of all the interrogations so he was going to speed up the process a little regardless of the toll it took on the dying woman.

Another hand motion. This time, the woman did not scream. She seemed to have passed out from the shock and no expected words of mercy or submission was uttered. _Was there anything more annoying than a prisoner who wouldn't talk? _Deciding that this case was a dead end, the man motioned for Ino to finish the job. It had been two years and if the woman wasn't going to confess now, then she never would.

Ino felt disgusted with herself. No matter how many times she saw it, the feeling wouldn't change. It seemed to have been set in stone inside her very heart and no stoic expression on her face could mask how she really felt. _The sooner it's over, the better it'd be for her…and me_. She raised a hand to signal the operator when she heard a mumbling sound in her earpiece…

"Ru-unn…R-un…way-y-y." All six of the people who heard the sound transmitted to them stopped their activities and listened intently. The silver-haired man froze and turned around to face the still unconscious woman. "R-u..un awa-a..ay….to-to.."

Shikamaru slowly turned off his radio to listen to the muffled sounds that were occasionally interrupted by the static. _What is she trying to say? Is it the information we need?_

Ino quietly motioned for the operator to turn up the frequency so that the other five could listen more clearly to the woman's last words…

Meanwhile, the man had inched closer to the oblivious woman and steadily stood in close proximity next to her. No doubt he was eager to hear whatever she had to say, as was everyone who was important enough to listen in on this vital moment.

"Run away where…?" whispered the man as he deliberately placed warm hand on her freezing one in hopes of assuming the false role of a loyal comrade.

"T-t-to…the…" In between her stuttered words, the man's mind was reeling with anticipation. Since they were so close to completing the puzzle, there were only so many possibilities that the young woman could be talking about. Missing codes, people and documents; all of those areas needed more information. He could settle for answers to any of them because it'd been so long since one of the prisoners had confessed anything.

Anxious for her to say the final word, he squeezed her hand. "-the s-spring orchard…" What followed this statement was nothing that was comprehendible; it was clear that the woman was no longer sane. The message was unclear to the man as well as the six. Useless.

Letting go of her hand, the man turned and walked out of the door but not before signaling to Ino once again; this time the door firmly closed behind him meaning that there would be no turning back. Acknowledging his order, Ino slowly took out her earpiece and nodded to the operator who cranked the level up to high and reached for the on switch…

* * *

His watch read 2:23 am as the silver-haired man walked out into the courtyard. Although it was a rather small one, there was an abundant of greenery. He smiled. _It always did give this place a deceiving image of peace._ The moon was a weak little sliver as he glanced up at the dark cloudy sky. A warm breeze relaxed his tension as he let the disappointment seep out of him. After all, he was not one to dwell on losses. It'd only created irritability and depression and those symptoms were much too cliché for him. The light warm air felt good as it sporadically rose and died at various intervals. Summer was indeed just around the corner.

"Master Kakashi?" A voice came from the man's communicator that was pinned to his collar.

"I'm listening."

"We're sorry about that."

"It's all right. We still have one more so there are still resources."

"But that one's not making good progress. You've seen the results. They've all come back negative."

"No. It'll just be a little while longer." The temptation of sleep began to lure Kakashi's body strength away from him as the wind continued to play with his vivid locks. "It's late. You should probably get some sleep Chouji. Pass the message on to the others will you?"

"Yes, sir."

Kakashi dusted himself off as he stood up and made for the door that led inside. As he passed several of the trees that stood in the middle of the courtyard, he noticed something rather peculiar about one. Setting aside his desire to go to sleep for a moment, he approached the tree and examined a small branch that protruded out further than its other leafy companions. As he looked closer, he saw a single blossom at the branch's very tip. It was rare to find such a blossom, especially one that had still not bloomed this late in the spring. Looking closer, he saw that its little petals were tinged with an innocent soft pink hue that was still rather underdeveloped at this stage. How ironic that he would find something with those qualities at this place.

Suddenly, the man's eyes widened with understanding. He laughed as he began to make his way back indoors. "Clever little girl she was. Very clever." Kakashi entered then closed the door and proceeded down the hall in the opposite direction of his bedroom, his exhaustion completely forgotten.

* * *

E/N: That was a little boring for me to write but I hope it's different for all of you readers! Don't worry; our favorite characters will make their appearances very shortly. And is it just me or do I tend to have Ino and Shikamaru appear rather frequently in my fics? Anyway, thanks for reading. 


	2. Sighted

Author's Note: Finally I had some time to write out the first chapter! Man, this has been one LONG week. I'm tired but I managed to type out this chapter so I guess my fatigue isn't too bad. Anyway, this is where the story begins and of course, our main characters are showing up! All right, that was not entirely true but it will be soon. Ok, enough of this nonsense. Enjoy!

**Shinobi Darkbeak:** Thanks so much! Here's the update. I hope I kept up the good work.

**Zionne:** Thank goodness! It sounds interesting! I know that there are a lot of loose ends in that first chapter but I'm glad you read through them!

**Francis:** Yes, it was a bit confusing but I promise to clear all of that up later. Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Chapter 1: Sighted

An old musty room with only one small window as the entrance to the fresh, cool air outside was not the ideal setting for a college classroom. It was nearing mid June and the students were restless and bored beyond all reason. Summer was just around the corner and listening to their professor and fellow classmates debate on difficult philosophical issues was not an enticing factor. No matter how hard the students glared at the clock, the minute hand was still an ocean away from the reaching the appropriate position that signaled freedom. Seconds dragged by while the professor presented yet another scenario to be analyzed.

"So what do you propose is the solution to this concept? Yes, go ahead." The professor pointed at a young man in the front row seat who had just finish taking notes on the lecture and had come up with a quick answer.

"I think he does have a right to kill himself if it would benefit the entire situation. It might not be the most ethical solution but if he's the only one who has to pay the consequences, I think that he should just commit the act and sacrifice himself for the benefit of everyone else."

Mildly impressed, the professor nodded along and thought up of the required 'what- if' comeback. Annoying yet required. "So he should just commit suicide regardless of any moral sense or contradictions to his beliefs?"

"Yes."

"Interesting poin- yes, go ahead." He indicated at a young girl in the back corner of the room. She was a rather peculiar looking girl because of the strange pink hair gracing her face. This unusual hair was rather long and was a smidge unkempt in a messy bun with loose strands all over the place. Papers were strewn out in front of her while her foot tapped routinely against her bag that was designed with plain white circles on a red fabric. Weird choice for a college student but she, like most, could only be grateful with what they had. After all, money was a hard thing to come by.

But what made her seem so peculiar was the fact that she was the only one in the whole left side of class who wasn't asleep or "listening" with unfocused eyes. "Well, I don't agree."

"And your reason?"

The girl glanced at her notes and adjusted her glasses to confirm the facts. After all, one needed the proper information to back up a theory before contradicting an opponent with another view. "According to the scenario, this man is loved by many; he's the heart of a community right?"

"That's correct."

"So if he were to sacrifice himself for the benefit of others, wouldn't that still cause them pain in the end? He shouldn't end his life. What good will come from that? Being dead doesn't solve any of the problems that were the cause of the situation in the first place. However, as long as he is alive, he can fix those dilemmas. This way, the problems will have a chance of getting sorted out instead of just becoming a dead end with no issues resolved."

"Very good."

"By staying alive, the man will not go against his beliefs either. I think this solution would be advantageous to everyone including the man himself. It would be his redemption."

Seeing all of the points of his arguments being countered, the young man scowled at the girl, then at his neighbor who laughed at his expense, and then at the professor, which turned out to be a mistake so he lowered his head in shame.

DING!

"Class dismissed!" came the long-awaited announcement. Those who were snapped out of their groggy states became lively once more and began chattering about the break that had just officially began. The students gathered their belongings and rushed out into the fresh late-spring air to drown in the season that represented freedom and fun. Well, that is until the next quarter started but that's a different story.

"Can you wait a minute?" the professor called to the girl as she begun to make her way out of the door. She nodded and waited for her professor to pack up too.

"That was some nice work you did back there, Miss Haruno."

"Thank you sir." She was used to these compliments. It was no surprise to anyone that she was the best student in the class.

"I hope that you'll continue to read through the recommended books over the summer. There's a lot of material that are covered in volumes twelve and thirteen so you can look through them for an overview of the next course."

"Yes, sir," _Another reading assignment. What are teachers thinking when they basically assign "homework" on the last day of school?_ _Oh well, I guess it's not so bad because I've already read through those. _"I'll make sure to read them this summer." _There's no point in telling him that I've already read them, it'll just make him talk some more and I have got to get out of this classroom!_

Her plan worked. In under a minute's time, she was out of the classroom and was struggling to reach the exit with the rest of her class. After being almost trampled by the mass of eager students, she finally made it outside. A light breeze picked up blowing the soft tresses of her hair across her face. It tickled but she was too exhausted to tidy up her runaway strands. She couldn't care less about her messy appearance and rather liked the unruly feeling. After all, summer was in the wings, waiting for those who were tied up all autumn, winter and spring to come loose. Reaching up, she undid the tie that kept up her bun to allow the pink locks to cascade down her shoulders. It felt so good.

"Are you Haruno Sakura?" The girl turned around to see a young girl at a pay phone looking a little confused and irritated.

"Yes?" Sakura walked over to the girl, curious about what she had to say. As she approached, the girl held out the phone with more than a little impatience.

"Well, there's someone on the phone for you. I don't know what your friend's deal is, but next time, tell them to call you somewhere else more private. It's rude to interrupt someone's conversation." She almost threw the phone into Sakura's hands as she haughtily stalked off with her nose seemingly pointing straight up in the air.

"Ok…" Sakura was just as confused as anybody. She didn't have any relatives that lived around there and if someone were to call her, they would've have most certainly called her cell phone. It was the 21st century after all. _Can pay phone conversations be interrupted anyway?_ Pushing the thought aside, she put the phone to her ear. "Hello?"

All she heard was the dial tone.

Sakura felt a cold shiver run up her spine as she slowly returned the phone to the receiver. _What was that all about?_ She nervously took a glance around her to see if anyone was acting conspicuous, ready to jump out at her and yell 'Gotcha' or something but no one did. Sure there were people but they were all busy with one activity or another. Trying to shake off her uneasiness, Sakura straightened her bag and began to make her way off the campus.

* * *

The way to her apartment was sure to be a long one after a hard day so a nice cold drink was too tempting to resist as she walked past an ancient-looking bar. _A drink sounds so good right now…_ Sakura stopped in and took a seat at the nearest rickety, wooden stool. Those old bars were sure to have everything she wanted. Shots of whiskey, pints of beer, colorful margaritas, bottles of vodka and many more were available to the thirsty drinker with money.

_Here we go!_

"I'd like some fresh-squeezed lemonade please! And can I have a little bit of melon syrup with that?" requested Sakura to the tall, burly bartender. A nice, fresh non-alcoholic beverage would liven her spirit quickly enough. It wasn't as if she was against drinking or anything, it was just because she was underage. There would be three long years before that would be happening!

"Freshmen," mumbled the bartender as he called a young girl over to take care of Sakura's order. "Naïve! Yellow with melon!" Sakura smiled at the jargon. There was just nothing like the old parts of Konoha that had it's own history and traditions. That's what was so enticing about some of the streets near her college. Sure it could be scary at times but that was only because the place was bursting with a rich past. Glancing around she knew that the bar was definitely one of those places.

The girl was startled at the loud order and fumbled with a glass she was drying. It was apparent that she was new and Sakura felt bad for her. Anyone could be overwhelmed when stuck in a new place whether it be a job, school or neighborhood. It was a common feeling that just about anyone could share and Sakura was especially acquainted with that lost feeling. She gave the girl an encouraging smile, hoping that the girl would soon be accustomed to her new occupation.

The encouragement seemed to have worked because her drink was cold and ready in front of her in under two minutes' time. Even the presentation had been expertly handled as the drink was presented with a nice little mint leaf. "Thank you!" Sakura said as she wrapped her hands around the glass.

She felt the icy coolness of the glass tingle at her fingertips as she brought it to her lips. _So refreshing._ Her fatigue and irritability just melted away with every sip. For some reason, the lemonade seemed so much better at that particular place. The taste was tantalizingly sweet and original as she gulped it down her throat in a frosty waterfall. Sakura seriously wondered why she had been so jumpy after class had let out….It was a real mystery to her because everything was going so great! It was summer! School was over! She had the best grades in the class! There was going to be a lot of relaxation for her soon! Life was amazing and she was certainly going to take advantage of that! With a hiccup, Sakura downed the rest of her drink and awkwardly put the glass back on the counter.

Clumsily fumbling for her purse for several moments, Sakura managed to produce some money for the drink. "Thanks, cutie…Yo-you..just keep that change for yourself." The girl looked up at Sakura with frightened eyes at the unusual and rather….uncomfortable comments. "Yeah, buy yourself something pretty hon…" With another hiccup, Sakura slid off the stool, tripped over her bag and finally made her way out of the door after blowing a kiss to all of the confused customers inside.

The girl was caught off-guard but decided to shrug it off and go back to her duties. Bunches of weird people were bound to go to bars so she might as well get used to it. Sighing, the she resumed her tasks and began to clean the counter when her eyes fell upon the empty bottle she had just used for the lemonade. Her eyes widened with horror as she read the label that said… rum.

Sakura seemed to twirl her way down the streets as if she'd just won the lottery. Every person was greeted with a loud, "HELLO!" as she weaved through the onlookers who instantly thought her a foolish kid who had just gotten high off of drugs, and inched away. It was no surprise when everyone on the street was staring at the weird and unstable pink-haired girl. Even though there was so much attention on her, Sakura was oblivious and continued the zealous merriment on her way to what she thought was home.

Being so unconscious of her surroundings, it was to her misfortune that she didn't notice a dark figure in the crowd looking at her. To make matters worse, this person had been originally looking _for_ her.

"Target 51 confirmed. I'm on my way."

* * *

E/N: Was that better? I was aiming at a more comedic feel for this chapter. It's not going to last long but I'm going to try and include some humor in this fic. Writing one without any is just not the same. It's not exactly fun either.

The stupid little bar drink was definitely original seeing how I have no experience at bartending let alone drinks. Personally, I think it goes with the story because the setting's in a modern Konoha. Strange things are bound to happen.

I know that Sakura might seem a little "out there" but all I have to say is that she's just not a very good drinker… Yeah and I thought the glasses just had to be there too just for a little bit of characterization. Hmmm... I can't think of any other notes here so let's just see what happens to our poor Sakura in the next chapter. Thanks for reading.


	3. Deceiving Actions

Author's Note: Hello everybody! Man, I think that this week was even worse than the last. What is it that makes Fridays so enjoyable? Is it the fact that school's on a brief hiatus? Or that it's nearing the end of a seven-day period? Or is it the fact that you can just come home, kick off your shoes, pull on your slippers, forget your homework for an afternoon, plop down in front of a computer with a nice cup of tea and enjoy a new fic? Who knows?

**Shinobi Darkbeak:** Yeah, Sakura is so innocent. I'm trying to set her up for a strong impact … later on in the fic. I feel bad for putting her through all of this but…I'll get over it. Anyways, thanks so much for continuing to read. I hope you like this one!

**Zionne:** I'm glad you thought it was funny. I was hoping it'd be that way! You know, I wanted to make these chapters longer but I decided to set a rather short limit on how long these chapters should be. They're all going to be roughly the same length but I'll try to stretch the next one out a little longer. It's just that my other story is about eight pages on average so I'm thinking that's a lot of work (this one is about five or six). Geez, enough of my ramblings, thank you so much for reading! Enjoy the update!

**Yachtzee:** It's so great to see that you're reading this fic too! Thanks for giving this one a chance as well. I know that Sasuke and Sakura haven't met yet but it's just an incentive to follow through the story.

Um, Sakura did get drunk on an alcoholic beverage. I think you might have misread that part because she got drunk on some rum that was accidentally put in there.

I know that the second chapter wasn't as action-packed as you had hoped so here's the next one and I hope you find some in here!

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Chapter 2: Deceiving Actions 

Dark clouds were drifting lazily over the red sky as the common folk began to make their way home. The weather was just so uncomfortably stuffy that everyone was sluggish in his or her activities. Whether it was going home or heading off to work, no one found any energy to help them along. Well, everyone except a strange, drunk girl who was roaming the darkening streets with no conscious sense at all.

It had been four hours since Sakura had left the bar where she had gotten so hammered by a new bartender who had only done it by accident. It wasn't any one's fault but no one had even bothered to help the poor girl. All who had seen her were either disgusted or afraid of what she was doing and chose to stay in the background. No one could blame them either. Konoha wasn't such an uptown city where there weren't any troublemakers. In fact, it was sort of the opposite.

Blame it on Sakura's bad luck.

Once they saw her, the good people of the city immediately classified her as an inexperienced but to-be party animal. So without anyone's help and her inability to tap into her rationality, Sakura continued to wander down the streets with no clue of her actions.

Eventually, darkness fell over the electrically lit city of Konoha. Most of the good folk had retreated off the streets to allow the shady dwellers to reign for the night. Mutually accepting their time, the _other_ kind of people began to appear out of nowhere as if they emerged from the consuming shadows. But then again, they weren't so different from the daytime people. The proof? Their attention was still captured by the curious girl with pink hair.

Unfortunately for Sakura, she was going to find out the hard way, just how different these people were…

"GOOD MORNING!" The recipients of the greeting glared at her as she walked by casually. "Wait, I think it should be 'good evening' or 'goodnight' even…" Still muttering incoherent things, Sakura took off once again. Her drunkenness seemed to have finally subsided a bit as she began to rub her temples, feeling the oncoming of a splitting headache. Oh well, a hangover meant the end of a potentially dangerous dreamy existence out on the streets. Then again, Sakura was still very much drunk. Her mind was still extremely hazy as she finally found her way to a familiar street.

"It's the street that leads to the street, that's next to the bank, that's right across from my apartment!" realized Sakura as she wobbled her way around a corner and into the view of the 'familiar street'. Struggling to piece together the directions to her home, Sakura stood under an old flickering streetlamp to contemplate the correct way. "So you cross the street here, and then you…" She seemed to be on the right track but once again found herself unable to remember anything useful. _I can't seem to remember how to get home today! I wonder what's wrong with me?_

Sakura put a hand on the streetlamp to steady herself and looked across the road wistfully. _Will I ever be able to find my way back home? _Unformed tears blurred her vision as the neon lights slowly transformed into unfocused globes of indistinct colors. "What's wrong with me?" Being so caught up in her thoughts, Sakura didn't realize someone coming up behind her.

"Hey there, darling."

Sakura turned around to face someone or more specifically, an outline of a person because he or she was completely covered by the dark shadow of the building.

"Hi..." Sakura trailed off. Her enthusiasm and positive outlook on things had gone away and was replaced by depression. Why waste time talking? It wouldn't solve her problem of not going home. Her mysterious greeter was however, undeterred by her half-hearted response.

"What's wrong? A pretty little girl like yourself should always be smiling." A muscular hand reached out of the darkness and found its way toward Sakura's hair. The figure stepped out of the shadows. It turned out to be a middle-aged man. Ok, maybe he was a late, middle-aged man. His matted brown hair was flecked with gray and there were the distinct lines on the sides of his face. He was definitely over thirty-five.

"Um…I can't seem to find my way around here." Sakura managed to say while stepping back at the same time. Even in her daze, alarm bells were ringing off inside her head about this man. But as smart a move as that was, the really smart thing to have done was to run away and the last thing someone should do, is tell strangers that they're lost. So actually, Sakura's reaction wasn't good at all. In fact, it was stupid.

But then again, she wasn't her usual sharp self.

"Is that all?" laughed the man as he discreetly advanced toward Sakura in a nonchalant fashion. "Don't worry about it! I know the streets very well. I'll be able to find your way home in no time!" As lame as that lie was, Sakura fell for it.

"Really!" gasped Sakura as a big smile formed on her face. Her emerald eyes widened with excitement at the prospect of finally being home. "You can help me?"

The man nodded. _You bet I'll help you._

"My apartment is near the bank, do you know where that is?"

"Of course," He held out an arm for Sakura to take hold of. "For tonight, I'll be your escort." Promptly agreeing, Sakura took hold of the man's arm and together, they set off toward some destination.

After crossing the street and turning around the corner, the bank came into view. "Hey! There it is!" Sakura let go of the man's arm and ran ahead a few steps to see if the building would jog some of her memories. Surprisingly, it did. Now she knew exactly where her apartment was, she didn't need help anymore. _Wow, there sure are some nice people around here._ Sakura was about to turn around to thank the man when she felt an iron-like grip on her elbow.

"You're going the wrong way."

"What?" The man's demeanor had changed. A stern, cold look penetrated his face as he led her in the opposite direction of her apartment. "No I'm not, _you're_ going the wrong way." Sakura tried to twist her arm out of the man's hold but to no avail. Her weakness combined with his strength made it clear that she was in his control.

"We're taking a short cut."

This time, Sakura knew for sure that this man was up to no good. Damn was she in trouble. _What am I going to do?_ Her heartbeat began to race as the two of them walked further down the street and turned into a different neighborhood. She frantically tried to come up with a plan but the thoughts of what was to come frightened her. _This stuff isn't supposed to be happening to me! I have to run away, to do anything!_ _Somebody help me!_

But Sakura should know better that fairy tale heroes are hard to come by.

After what seemed like an eternity to Sakura, the man finally stopped at an old warehouse. He hastily glanced around before quickly opening the door and pushing Sakura through.

The place was filthy and smelled of old beer cans. There was only a single light bulb that swung on a rusty chain. Sakura felt like throwing up. Not only was she was on the verge of a hangover and the place was insanely grimy, but she was also scared to death.

"Why do you look so pale?" The man asked as he advanced on her. She desperately looked around for some means of escape; another door, a window, a hole in the ground, anything would've been fine. Anything. Unfortunately the room was so dark that one could barely see beyond the dim light bulb hanging from the ceiling. Her plan wouldn't have worked anyway; there was absolutely no way out of the room except through the door they had just passed; the door that he was in front of.

Suddenly, the man stopped for moment before laughing. "What do you think you're doing?" Sakura had dropped her bag to the floor.

"What do you think? I'm not going to let it end like this!" With that, she lunged herself at the man. Fortunately for Sakura, the man was caught off guard. His head bumped the light bulb causing it to swing precariously until coming back and smashing against his head. The light was immediately extinguished. Taking advantage of her surprise, she aimed for his lower valuables and he was hit…hard. Grunting, the man fell backwards onto the floor seemingly immobilized.

"Damn…freak" Sakura weakly panted as she picked up her bag and made her way past the man.

Just when she was about to take off full speed out of that accursed place, she froze with horror when she felt her right ankle being held back. She looked down to see the man was starting to get up and judging by the strength of his grasp, he wasn't going to let up anytime soon. Sakura began to panic again and any sense of her earlier adrenaline was gone. She was dizzy and couldn't summon the strength to fight back anymore. After a couple more attempts to jerk her foot free, she found the floor rushing up to her when the man yanked her foot off its balance. Next thing she knew, their roles had been reversed.

"You're a feisty one aren't you?" seethed the man as he tried to regain some composure. "I'm gonna make you pay for that." Then he began to undo his collar; a sight that would make anyone cringe.

All Sakura could do was cover her eyes and keep herself from vomiting.

_I never should have come here…what was I thinking?_

He began to unbutton his shirt.

_Running away from my problems at home isn't going to solve anything._

His distance from her was closing in.

_Isn't that what we learned in class? No, we didn't learn it._

Sakura's eyes began to glaze over.

_The theory came from me._

Her head was pounding from the headache or was it just the hammering of her heart?

_Why didn't I take my own advice?_

Tears welled up in her eyes and this time, there was nothing that could hold them back.

_Damn, I'm such a hypocrite. A coward too I guess. _

She could smell his breath that reeked of beer as he neared her.

_There are no more second chances…_

Sakura closed her eyes.

Suddenly, there was a loud bang. "What the hell?" yelled the man as he stood up. Since the light had gone out, Sakura couldn't see what was going on but she quickly retreated toward the far side of the wall. Her head was reeling and her eyes still hadn't adjusted to the darkness. Everything was happening so fast. Sakura thought that she saw two dark shadows in the room for one second then there was a thud on the ground. Someone had hit the floor and was not moving.

Whoever had busted through the warehouse had opened the door with such force that it was still moving in reaction to it. As Sakura continued to wonder what happened, the door was slowly opening as a result from the lingering momentum. As the light from the outside streets slowly illuminated the room, Sakura was able to see her savior for the first time.

How did she know? It was easy. First off, this man was dressed in a fine black suit. His perfectly creased pants and jacket seemed custom-made as it framed his lean physique.

Secondly, this man was incredibly handsome. Even in the midst of this traumatic experience, Sakura couldn't help but notice his exceptional looks. After all, she was a girl. His raven locks fell freely around his face while dark eyes glared ferociously down at his ugly, defeated opponent on the ground.

The third reason? He had just rescued her of course! It seemed that heroes do come to save the day once in awhile. He even saved it for the last minute too. It was so cliché but she wasn't complaining. Sakura shook off her shock and giddiness at her rescue and shakily stood up.

"T-thank you for…saving me." Sakura gingerly stepped over the man on the floor and tried to steady her uneven breathing. The young man didn't answer her so she figured that it was time for her to leave. If he wanted her to file a report, he would have to ask her tomorrow. _Tonight has been one hell of a ride so he's going to have to wait._

Sakura began to walk towards the door but no sooner had she taken a step outside, she felt both of her arms pulled back into a painful position then found herself pinned up against the outside wall. The impact broke her glasses and sent some of the sharp pieces into her cheek while the others showered onto the ground in sparkling bits. Sakura could feel the blood making its way slowly down the left side of her face.

"What the-" She craned her neck around to see who it was and much to her surprise, it was her 'knight in shining armor'.

He leaned closer into her ear and whispered two dreaded words that once again ignited the fear in her heart. "Don't move."

She felt him transfer both of her arms into a lock with one of his arms and with his free hand, whipped out a knife and held its shiny edge against her skin. The cold blade pressed against her neck, only a margin away from cutting in.

Sakura felt her heart drop from her chest and down into oblivion as she came to the realization that he was no Prince Charming.

* * *

E/N: There we go! The story has finally taken off! This chapter was really fun to write and I hope that the future ones will be too. Poor Sakura, her night just keeps on getting worse and worse doesn't it? 


	4. Meeting Dead Ends

Author's Note: I don't know about you but I am excited about this chapter.Well, finally I'm able to update so here it is! Enjoy.

**Shinobi Darkbeak:** Wow, it seems like you're always my first reviewer whenever it comes to a new chapter! Thanks and here's the next update!

**Blood red nin:** Thanks for reading! I'm glad you like my story so far and here's hoping that this chapter will meet your expectations.

**Zionne:** Aw, geez. That was such a nice review! Don't worry, I don't think you're crazy at all. I'm just happy that you like my fic but don't jump off a rickety bridge because then I'll lose a cool fan! Enjoy the update!

**Tears like Crystals:** Personally, I love suspense and there's nothing like concluding a chapter on a cliffhanger right? Thanks for reading and here's the next suspenseful chapter!

**Yachtzee:** It's all good. No worries. Everyone misreads stuff once in awhile. I hope that this story doesn't turn into a cliché and I'll do my best to be original when I'm writing. Enjoy this chapter!

**animEvivverZ:** Thanks so much! I didn't think it was written beautifully but I'm glad somebody thinks so! No more anxiety because here's the next chapter!

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Chapter 3: Meeting Dead Ends 

The night dwellers on the dark streets of Konoha were used to strange noises during the shady hours of the night. After all, they were the cause of the commotion sometimes so it was nothing new. Even the sound of a girl's petrified scream was just one of those things that just so happened now and then. What were they supposed to do about it? Call for help? Right. Not likely.

Tonight was one of those nights so all just minded their own business and continued their forsaken activities whatever they may be.

Around a particular narrow corner stood two people in a struggle. Well, not really a struggle because the taller of the two seemed to have a firm handle on the other one. It was easy to tell because the latter was pinned against the wall.

"Hey! What are you doing?" The reply to that question was the deepened pressure of the steel blade against the questioner's very neck.

"I told you not to move."

At this point, Sakura was so tired that she was ready to give up struggling. Her recent harassments had jogged her memories of the passed few hours and it couldn't seem to get any worse for her. _Why bother fighting back? It's better to go quietly. Stupid jerk. I'm a girl._

Following her reasoning, Sakura relaxed and sighed. Her head was pounding and every second, her desire to throw up overwhelmed her. But it's best to hold it in…for now. Some action like that would probably get her killed. Not that she really wanted to think about that happy prospect at the moment.

Her "hero" sensed her submission and put away his knife. Then he silently began to lead her back out onto the main streets with one arm. So there they were; one tall figure striding along confidently while the smaller one was jerked along…rather roughly. They continued to move in awkward silence and only stopped for a moment when Sakura's watch beeped, indicating the arrival of eleven o'clock.

The young man was clearly an expert at his job of…keeping his hostages under control. Every corner was approached with caution and deliberate steps even though Sakura couldn't figure out why. It seemed that he was so strong and skilled that he didn't have to act as though there was a predator on their tail or anything.

_Still, I bet we look pretty conspicuous. Well, I guess it's most likely my hair that's attracting so much attention. He just blends into the shadows but I guess with me, his cover's blown too. Wait, if I scream for help, maybe the ANBU will come and…I don't know, do something! But then, he might just kill me to save his own neck or maybe he'd just kill all of them! No, can't have that…_

While she was deliberating the thought of letting out a blood-curdling scream for the sake of her life, they just happened to pass by the one thing that would resolve her dilemma: an ANBU station.

Sakura's heart pounded with excitement.

_What should I do? They're right in there! This is my only chance but then again, this guy might hurt them too…but it's their job! That's what they signed on to when they took on the job right? Damnit, we're almost out of range! Damnit! Oh…here goes nothing!_

* * *

Inside the ANBU station, the buzzing sound of a small black and white TV was shut off. The person who had been watching had quickly turned it off when a strange sight out on the dark streets caught his eye. 

"Hey, come here," he motioned to his partner who was filing some papers into a nearby cabinet.

"What do you think is going on down there?"

His partner went to the window and looked down also. "I don't know. Doesn't look too good though."

"Let's go down there and take a look. That girl's obviously wanting to be discreet so let's be quiet."

"Okay, go on ahead. I've gotta get my gun."

Seeing how her good nature had slightly won over her desire of wanting to be rescued, she was frantically waving her free arm in the direction of the ANBU building, which meant that there were capable officials who were sure to help. She'd hope that they would realize the conditions of the situation and be quiet when coming out; therefore not painting a target on themselves. Luckily for her, they understood.

But just as she thought she saw two people look down from the upper story window, she felt the grip on her imprisoned arm tighten and whirled around only to come face to face with her captor.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Sakura jumped and tried to back away but was only rewarded with a twist on her arm.

"Ow-hey!" She slightly bent over from the sharp pressure and winced at the pain. When she managed to open her eyes again, she found herself staring into his cold, dark eyes. His glare was so intimidating that she quickly looked away again.

"For your sake, I hope you didn't attract their attention."

Sakura felt panic rise within her._ So there **were** two people up there! Oh no, that means that they're coming and he's seen them!_ Never mind her rescue now, she just didn't want anyone to get hurt on her account.

"NO! DON'T COME HERE!"

"Shut up! Damnit!" He had had enough; words were obviously not going to get to her so he'd just have to do something instead. Swiftly jerking her arm back up again, he pulled her around the nearest corner and held her up against the wall, pinning her wrists down under his strong hands.

Sakura's teeth clicked from the impact as she found herself smashed against a grimy side of an old building once again. Her head was in a daze and when her eyes finally focused, she saw an extremely pissed off look on his face. Not a good sign.

"You'd better shut your mouth from now on or else you're going to attract attention do you understand?" Even though he spoke in a quiet voice, Sakura could feel his anger as if he'd shouted the words. His eyes held something that just made her quiver with fear. What had happened to him that made them acquire that look? One thing she knew for sure, she'd be quiet for the rest of their journey.

Slowly, he let go of both of her wrists and pushed her behind him as he edged up to the corner of the building. Sakura inched away from him as she took in their surroundings. He had led them into a dead end. Behind them was a towering wall and innocent people could approach the only exit at any time.

The young man cursed his luck. Usually he'd have no problem securing his target and bringing them back towards the base but this time, it'd seem like everything was going against his plans. First, he'd lost sight of his target, then he had to fight a man who could have left a trail and now the girl had to go and attract the officials' attention! Perfect.

_The officials' attention isn't the only thing I'm worried about now…_

He continued to look down the street for any sign of a person coming their way. Left: nothing but an old flickering streetlamp, right: a shadow? No, only a passing cat.

_Stupid cat._

After checking one last time, he held out his left arm and motioned for Sakura to follow him. He waited for a moment before realizing that she wasn't coming closer. Exasperated, he let out a sigh, grit his teeth and began to turn around when he heard a voice.

"What's wrong Uchiha? Who are you so afraid of?"

He whipped around and saw two shadows behind him. Sakura's voice was muffled behind a man's hand as she struggled to get free of him…or rather both of them. The man's face was in the shadows but was revealed when he stepped out. Sakura's original captor relaxed when he saw who it was.

"Not you, that's for sure."

The other man grimaced at the insult and tightened his grip around Sakura. He was also a young man, about the same age as the other. But instead of a deceiving look of a possible normal person, this man had a wild look to him. His short brown hair was unruly as its short strands blew about in the warm summer air. Two blood red strips ran down on both sides of his face giving off the look of a madman. Seeing an unsatisfactory reaction from his enemy, he smirked darkly revealing sharp, white fangs while his narrow eyes slanted with disdain.

"I wouldn't talk like that seeing as how I've got her in my control now."

"Say what you want Kiba, I don't really care about a person who's not fit to be in his rank let alone his league."

"You know, you shouldn't let your ego get in the way of your mission. I figured _you_ should know that concept better than anyone."

For some reason, this comment made the other man's eyes darken with fury.

"That's what I thought."

Sakura could only glance from one to the other while trying to supply her need of air through the little gaps in between the man's fingers. _What's going on? Do they know each other or something?_

"Ah!"

Sakura felt the man's arms release her and hastily stepped back. He was taken by surprised when the man suddenly charged at him. As she sat there witnessing yet another brawl that same night, she realized that these fighters were completely of another caliber.

Kiba coughed out shower of blood onto the concrete floor as he felt an iron blow to his stomach. But there was no time for a break as he saw a kick aimed straight for his face so he ducked and reappeared behind his enemy.

"Watch your back!" he yelled as snapped back his hand after swiftly connecting with the vulnerable point on the back of his enemy's neck. After receiving the blow, the man knelt over, seemingly defeated.

"It seems that you're even weaker than me Uchiha." Kiba quickly wiped off the remaining blood on his face and walked over toward the wall until he felt his legs go numb and fell to the floor. His pressure points had been hit too.

"No Kiba. No one's weaker than you."

_Damnit! I can't believe I fell for a stupid trick like that!_

Kiba tried to muster some strength to will his legs to move. It was working but it'd be some time before he could regain full control and by then, the other two were going to be out of sight.

Even though he had won the fight, he had definitely sustained some serious injuries. It was time to go. He staggered over to the wall only to find that she was gone. Turning around, he saw a flash of pink disappear around the corner.

"Damn that girl." He hissed and hastily went after her.

"Bastard! I can't believe he beat me! Next time it's gonna be different." Kiba managed to shake off the numbness of one leg already and was up in a kneeling position, trying to get his other one to move as well. "If only I could get going right now…" he suddenly froze when he sensed another presence in front of him. As he looked up, he saw the one person who was sure to accomplish his master's instructions.

"Where are they Kiba?"

* * *

Sakura continued her fast pace down the streets, never slowing down. She had to get as far away as she could from those people. So many questions were racing through her mind as she flew yet around another corner. Stopping for a moment to catch her breath, she was struck with amazement and curiosity at what she just witnessed. _They moved so fast! No wonder that old guy couldn't keep up with him! Who were those people and…what the hell do they want with me?_

But there was one thing she was sure of: these were no ordinary "bad guys".

As the pain in her chest subsided, she peeked back out into the streets. Without her glasses, everything was rather blurry and she was afraid that she wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a passing shadow from the figure of one of her assailants.

And sure enough, Sakura was oblivious to the approaching person until it was too late. Next thing she knew, the cold barrel of a gun was pointed at her temple.

For several blocks, the sound of a gunshot was heard echoing through the streets of Konoha but it was nothing more than just another strange noise to those who heard.

* * *

E/N: I just LOVE ending a chapter like this. Can't help it! The plot thickens now…I'm hoping for some more characterizations in the next chapter so it won't be all about action here. Thanks for reading. Oh and the ANBU station is kind of like a police station. Kinda weird but I had to put some similarities in this world. That's all for now and thanks for reading. 


	5. Going Full Circle

Author's Note: Yay, it's Friday again! Well, I managed to write another chapter so here it is. Enjoy!

**Shinobi Darkbeak:** First one again! Thanks and here's the update.

**animeEvivvErz:** Thanks for noticing! I was hoping someone would. It actually wasn't planned out or anything. Just kind of clicked when I wrapped it up but as long as someone likes it, it's fine with me!

**Yachtzee:** I hope you didn't get caught there. Thanks for reading and yes, I was really happy that I got my fourth chapter up! Seems like I'm actually getting somewhere with this fic. Hopefully this chapter will seem like it's moving the plot along a little more.

**Aya:** Thank you! I'm glad that you find it original. I'll be sure to include some moments later on in the fic.

**Tears like Crystal:** Thanks! It's great that you want to read more and here's the next chapter so enjoy. I tried to do something different with the ending this time.

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Chapter 4: Going Full Circle 

The minutes rolled onward in the world as time continued to pass; even in places where the lines of ambiguity met reality, seconds still moved forward. There was absolutely nothing that could stop time. Not even to freeze a bullet in midair before it pierced through vulnerable skin and flesh.

Darkness covered the usual bustling roads but could not hide the blood that ran red on the concrete floor. A body slumped down while the recognizable red liquid streamed from the passage created by the bullet.

The owner of the gun slowly lowered his weapon after he saw it had connected and held out his hand.

"Come on miss."

"R-right..."

"Don't worry, we'll put this bastard in jail. He won't hurt you anymore."

Sakura, pale as the moonlight itself, nodded and shakily took the man's hand. Looking down, she was surprised to see that her assailant was, once again, a person she had never met before… The person before them was a young man who was rather rotund in the terms of his size. He clutched his side in hopes of slowing down the blood as he kneeled on the floor, gritting his teeth from the pain.

"Thanks…" Sakura managed to up as the man handed her over to his partner.

"Don't worry about it. It's our job so there's no need for that." Sakura still hadn't recollected herself and was rather confused at the scene before her. Who were these people and how come they knew where she was?

After he had roughly got a hold of the man on the ground, they all headed off toward the ANBU station. As they approached a streetlamp, Sakura was able to visibly see her rescuers.

They were two ANBU officials.

"You guys were the ones who saw us right?" Sakura was clearly relieved and excited that she was in safe hands at last. It wasn't everyday that a girl got rescued on a fluke and it was even more rare that she survived an encounter with a gun that was about to be fired point-blank just a few moments ago. Maybe she was lucky after all. Call it an adventure, a bang that signaled the beginning of a fun-filled summer.

"Uh-huh." While the two men straggled behind, the other ANBU official, a woman, walked with Sakura.

_Wow, she looks so pretty…and intimidating at the same time… _

"Kurenai, call headquarters will you?" grunted the man from behind as he struggled to help the culprit along. No doubt he just wanted his partner to confirm that the criminal had been caught and not that they needed back up. There is just something in men that holds them back from asking for assistance sometimes. What is it? Maybe it's just stubbornness or pride even but that's how some people are like; and those are mostly men.

"Fine," Kurenai pushed back her long dark hair to reveal a hidden headset. "This is Area Seven, Unit 23 calling. We're on our way back…Yes we're-"

Sakura tuned her out for a second to steal a glance at the man who had fired. He was about the woman's age, which she surmised was in the mid thirties. His complexion was darker than his partner's fair tone and while he had a rugged look with a manly beard, he also held a cool, friendly air with his cigarette angling downward from his mouth.

"Asuma, are you doing ok back there?" He looked insulted at this comment even though it was clear that he wasn't exactly 'ok'.

"Of course I am. Why would you even ask? It should always be a given."

"Fine, whatever. Just thought I'd ask."

* * *

Sakura nearly jumped for joy when she walked through the doors to the ANBU station. Bright lights, half-full mugs of coffee, messy piles of papers and office swivel chairs greeted her eyes as she gathered in the room. She was finally inside a safe place and even though it was extremely unorganized, she couldn't care less. 

"I'm going to bring him out back."

"Good, make sure you file a report. I'll ask the girl for her account too." With that, Kurenai promptly got a mug of coffee and handed it to Sakura who gladly accepted it.

"So how do you want to do this?" she asked as she settled into her chair. "Do you want to just get everything off your chest or would you rather have me ask the questions?"

The coffee burned her tongue as she gulped it down but she couldn't stop. Sakura didn't want to relive all of those horrible moments just yet but she'd rather not disagree with Kurenai at the moment. _Well, it seems like a nap isn't coming my way anytime soon._

"I don't really know…I'm almost confused at you are at the moment." She looked down at her reflection in her coffee. Muddled as it was, she could see her disheveled appearance. But then again it was no surprise. How can someone go through all of those incidents and not look like crap? _I really need to go to sleep._

"Do you have any idea why this guy wanted you dead?" Sakura flinched.

_Wow, she's blunt. _

"No…I don't know why all of those people were after me…" Kurenai raised an eyebrow at this comment.

"Right, now that I think about it, you were with someone else when we saw you up here," Sakura nodded. There had been a total of three people who wanted her that night…well technically four if you counted a perverted old man. "Can you give me a description of the man you were with when you passed by here?"

"Yeah…" She thought back and remembered his handsome features deciding whether or not using the adjective 'hot' was appropriate. Sakura fidgeted with her mug for a few moments not sure of what to say. _I'd be lying big time if I said he was butt ugly. Why the hell did he have to be like that? Why couldn't he be…I don't know, a good guy or something? What am I supposed to say?_

"Can you remember anything at all?" Sakura jumped at the interruption of her thoughts and actually did remember something.

"I think his last name was Uchiha…"

Suddenly, the lights flickered and went out.

"What's going on?"

"Asuma! Get the power back on, hur-" There was a loud crash as the glass came shattering down. Three gunshots were heard as they rang throughout the room and was followed by a thud.

Sakura hardly got out of her seat when she felt a hard impact on the side of her injured face and lost consciousness.

* * *

"See? It turned out all right." 

"You never said that."

"Well, I shouldn't have to say things. They should just be assumed."

"Why are you such an optimist? Especially with this job…"

"It's better than being pessimistic that's for sure."

"I'm not pessimistic."

"I'm not talking about you, Chouji."

"Oh, then who were you talking about?"

"Never mind that now. You just get some rest."

Asuma closed the door to the black sedan and was about to leave when the window rolled down.

"Hey, why'd you have to shoot me there? I mean it's not like I was going to kill her."

"You know I had to make it look convincing. Come on Chouji, you should know better than to be asking these questions!"

"Yeah, but it hurts! I won't be able to eat anything solid for the next couple of weeks!"

"Fine, I'm sorry. Dinner's on me when you get better."

"Dinner, breakfast _and _lunch."

"Fine! Just get out of here!" Asuma tapped on the car to signal the driver to go. He stood there for a few moments to make sure that it was out of sight before returning back to the room. Sakura was gone and Kurenai was on the floor. Her gun was a considerable amount away from her meaning that it had been knocked away.

_Just like he planned it. Well, more or less anyway. _Asuma went over and checked on Kurenai's condition. After seeing she was only unconscious, he went over to retrieve her gun and maybe put it in a plastic bag for an analysis later. It's all about playing the part. When acting calls in this job, a good performance is a necessity.

As he bent down to pick up the gun, he noticed a few drops of blood next to it. He smirked and looked back at his unconscious partner. _She was always the feisty one._

* * *

"Shikamaru! Shikamaru! Wake up!" After another ten seconds of a shrill voice yelling his name, Shikamaru raised his head to meet a pair of fiery blue eyes. 

"What?"

"You're sleeping again? Haven't you been working on the report?" Shikamaru gave his assistant a bored look and nodded pointing the important stack of paper that he'd been using as a pillow. "You call this a report?" She held up the first piece to show only one sentence scribbled down. Ok, scratch that. It was a blank stack of paper.

"What do you want, Ino?" She glared at him as he turned spun his chair around so that his back faced her. It was always his lazy attitude that set her temper off.

"Shikamaru! You-you! I can't believe you." was all she managed to splutter. Here she was, taking the time to wake him up (which was always an incredible feat) to tell him something important and he still wouldn't pay attention.

"That's all you have to say?" Sometimes, he just couldn't help pushing her buttons. It was just so easy and a little fun too. Who could blame him though? Forms of entertainment are hard to come by…especially with his job.

"No! I came here to tell you that Chouji's been injured but he's coming back. Asuma says he's going to be fine."

"…"

"Shikamaru?"

"…Good."

Ino sighed and shook her head. She knew Shikamaru cared but she just wanted him to show some kind of real emotion and until that day came, she would never give up.

"There's another thing. You know who just called a few minutes ago. He said that he's coming back too and he's got her."

"Uh-huh."

There was a moment of silence as Ino continued to stare at Shikamaru's back, waiting for a better response then an "uh-huh" but that didn't happen so she groaned and left.

A relieved Shikamaru sighed and leaned back in his chair, glad that his best friend was coming back. _Everything is going to plan all right._

_

* * *

Ow…ow…stop damnit!_

Sakura opened a bleary eye and vaguely realized her head was bumping along someone's shoulder as they went along…at a very fast pace. Besides the fact that her head felt like it was going to burst any second, she felt secure and warm. It was a weird position for a nap but hey, she wasn't about to complain. She'd deal with it later.

Later came in two hours when she was roughly dropped onto the forest floor. Sakura awoke to find _him_ once again.

"..."

_Is this ever going to end?_

Now was the time to let it all out.

The sickness in her stomach finally got to her. And so, seeing how this was the time to let go, she was free of that nasty vodka that had plagued her stomach since yesterday afternoon, free of the bitter coffee that had been a momentary reassurance, and free of the nausea that had come from the constant abuse. Now she was ready to just take whatever was coming her way.

Good thing too because being prepared was the only thing that could possibly help her from that point on.

* * *

E/N: This chapter wasn't too suspenseful right? Well, I am just ecstatic that I got the fifth chapter done! I hope it's enjoyable to read and not so boring or long. Until the sixth chapter everybody, have a good weekend. 


	6. A Passing Reprieve

Author's Note: Ah, yes. Friday. My beloved ME TIME has arrived once again! I am happy to be chillin' in front of my beloved computer and writing another chapter. Enjoy!

**Shinobi Darkbeak:** How do you do it? Thanks!

**Yachtzee:** No chocolate? That sucks but it's good that you didn't get caught. Hmm…on my descriptions…yeah, I want to describe what's going on so people can get a sense of the atmosphere of the story. Since there's action, I'm taking a different style of writing to compliment the genre. Personally, I thought my word choice was more simple than eloquent but I think it fits the storyline.

The readers themselves can decide who are the good and bad characters. I don't really have a protagonist/antagonist thing going on here besides Sakura who is the obvious heroine. But if you want to know, keep reading because I'll make sure to flesh out their characters later.

Yes, this is a Sasuke/Sakura fic but the main focus is on action/adventure. There's some romance but it won't be so prominent here since I have so many other things to cover. But there will definitely be some! Those are the fun parts but more than that, I can't really say. It's all later on. Thanks for reading and keep with it to find out more.

**Tears like Crystal:** Thank you! I hope you like this ending too because I think this one is the best.

**XxaoshixX:** Thanks!

**Aya: **Thanks! And here's the next exciting update.

* * *

Chapter 5: A Passing Reprieve 

How long had they been going at that incredibly fast pace?

Where were they in Konoha?

How did they end up there?

And most importantly, what the hell did they want with her?

Yeah. That was what Sakura was thinking at that exact moment when she sat on the cold, hard forest ground with her bright green eyes locked on her so-called companion.

After resorting to the one thing that could make her feel better, she felt a little shaky and moved toward him for two reasons. One was to get away from the results of her vomit obviously. Staying there would only cause a second round and…well, no one would want that pretty sight to happen all over. Second was to get the truth! She was damn sick and tired of being handled like a rag doll and although she couldn't guarantee the prevention of the constant maltreatment, she wanted some answers and she wanted them now. Hell, yes.

As she stood up, she found herself weak from the rude interruption of her much-needed nap. Her annoying headache was still there but was thankfully, less of a nuisance. She figured that it was because of the lack of her glasses. Speaking of which, the remaining shards were still lodged in the side of her face with dried blood smearing the once transparent surface.

The world shifted beneath her feet as she stood up making her want to retch again so she tried to steady herself with a hand resting against the rough wood of the tree she had leaned on. A crackling noise caught her attention as she glanced in the direction to the right of her.

And there he was.

Mr. Hero was before her once again.

The pale moonlight was nowhere near to illuminate his figure but she still could tell. It wasn't like he was completely immersed in the darkness but there was a distinct aura that went along with him that was identifiable. Maybe it was that cold demeanor. Or maybe it was his killing intent that was so strong that once one was acquainted with it, it never quite left. Or perhaps it was that mysterious characteristic that exuded from his cool appearance. It seemed that there was a story behind those dark, obsidian eyes and hair that blew sinisterly in the wind.

Nah.

It was probably just Sakura being nuts.

At the moment, he was speaking into something that Sakura could only define as high tech. This was no time for complicated technological words.

But once he saw that she was staring at him, he promptly put away his device and looked at her with a death-like stare. It would have intimidated Sakura but she was tired beyond all reason and no glare was going to faze her.

"You need to answer my questions right now." Sakura was a strange girl indeed. Who, in their right mind, would chuck out orders at someone who had held a sharp knife to her throat not too long ago? Well, she would apparently.

Shocked by what she did too, he took a few steps toward her and pulled out his gun, aiming it straight at her heart. Of course. That was always the best way to shut someone up.

"Fine, go ahead and kill me. But I doubt your boss would want you to do that," She turned her back to him and sat down on the floor again trying to relieve the throbbing sensation in her cheek. She pulled her knees up and wrapped her arms around them in hopes of keeping warm. "I bet that after everything you went through to get me, you wouldn't just kill me off and take the precious five bucks I have."

So that gun threat only worked on most people and not her. Great.

No one wants to be one-upped on anything and that included him. So instead of giving her the satisfying answers she wanted, he stayed silent. That move worked.

"I told you I wanted some answers!" She was tired, sick, injured and frustrated all at once and speaking to a dumb wall wasn't helping. "What the hell is wrong with you? I'm going to figure it out anyway so why not just tell me now, damnit?"

He looked back and stared straight into her furious eyes. "That's right, you'll find out sooner or later so why not later?"

_He's a sharp dresser and has a sharp tongue. Just what I needed._

Silence took a hold of the tense scene for a few minutes. Both couldn't care less of what the other thought. She just wanted some answers and he just wanted her to shut up. That was definitely not a set-up for a compromise.

After her anger had minimally subsided for a bit, Sakura noticed something that she seemed to have overlooked when she was about to go on the warpath. She squinted her eyes and saw that he was injured also; probably to an even greater extent than herself.

A considerable bruise marred his light complexion and there was a gash running from his cheek down onto his chin. Not to mention that he staggered a bit when he walked. Obviously, these wounds had been sustained in the scuffle he had early on with that other man, Kiba.

_Poor guy. Wait a minute. Who the hell cares?_

Sakura looked away but couldn't help feeling her anger towards him lessen even more. He was human after all. They looked about the same age. She was eighteen and he seemed at most only a year older if even. Hey, if not for the knife in the pocket, the violent karate moves, his lack of chivalry, and that crazy intent for murder, he would have been your average, heartthrob that girls ogle at down at the local café.

_I wonder how he got mixed up in the business he's in now. I bet he has one hell of a story behind it all._

She was looking at him again unconsciously and didn't realize that he noticed it due to her lack of vision clarity. He was taken aback but didn't really know how to react. What, was he supposed to do? Threatening her was out of the question so as long as she was quiet, he'd just have to deal with that annoying look. Those irritating emerald eyes were hard to miss and especially difficult to ignore when they stared at you with that exasperating look of pity in them.

Silence ensued for a couple of more minutes when he finally sat down against a tree directly across from hers and closed his eyes. They had stopped because he needed a break before they could resume their journey back to headquarters. Because of the messy trail they had left behind them, he was sure that there would be someone on their tail. He hoped that by taking a short cut, he would lose them and would get back without any trouble. Well, that was the best-case scenario.

"Hey." Her voice broke his train of thoughts and he opened his eyes to see her standing only a few feet away from him. He was surprised that he didn't sense her coming.

_Damn you, Kiba. That injury to my neck is getting worse. _Not to mention the grazes he received from the bullets shot by that ANBU official.

Grimacing, he straightened up but kept on the floor looking up at her. She had her arms wrapped around her and sighed. "Listen, I promise I'm not going to run away anymore."

"Good, that'll make it easier for the both of us." He then proceeded to lean back on the tree completely ignoring the fact that the conversation wasn't over yet. Rudeness was definitely another of his character traits but Sakura persevered.

"Since I'm not, can you please just tell me?"

He opened an eye and glared at her for a moment before closing it. _I'll just tell the truth I guess._

"I don't know."

"What? How come?"

"As of right now, I don't know."

"That's not good enough! I know you have some kind of information because it's clear that you're not just some kind of bodyguard."

He paused for a while but ended up giving her a vague answer. "All I know is that you're a new lead."

"A new lead?"

"Yeah, and by the time I do find out what your purpose is, I'm sure you'll have found out for yourself."

For the first time since the ordeal began, Sakura felt truly terrified. Since she now had time to ask some questions and had a moment to think it over without anything to distract her mind, she realized that her life was truly on the line. It was completely in the hands of other people and not knowing what to expect was almost suffocating for her.

Ever since she could remember, she had always been the best student in the class and while it wasn't always easy, she would try hard to be worthy of that position. Knowing what was to come, preparing for it, channeling her efforts into something she knew she could overcome was something that she did on a daily basis.

But this wasn't the same at all. There was no study guide, no crutch, nothing to save her from these mysterious people that wanted her. She didn't excel in self-defense, wasn't great at defending her life with a sharp mind along with deceiving words, or capable of anything that dealt with serious life and death situations. Everything that had "saved her" so far was because of luck and that was sure to run out soon.

And worst of all, she had no one she could reach that would help her.

The young man stared at her paling expression and could understand what was racing through her mind at that very moment. He'd been there and done that. Yes, it was a terrible feeling but sometimes, life just dishes out the worst crap on earth and there's nothing that can be done except to deal with it. He certainly did and he'd emerged from the other side of hell to be sitting where he was right then.

Seeing her stand there with her frail little frame, shivering with the cold and frightened of what was to come did stir something inside of him and he realized what that was. She reminded him of himself all of those years ago.

Yes, there was a connection but what was more important was that he had a job to do. A job that he'd fought tooth and nail to succeed at. He'd strive to become the best and her similarity to him wasn't about to break down all those years of hard work. It was him or her and the answer was easy: him.

"Well," he looked up at her to see her…smiling. "I guess I'll just have to take it one step at a time."

_She's smiling? After what I just told her?_ Despite his slight surprise, he only gave a small nod in response and leaned his head back still painfully aware of the cramping of his neck.

Sakura walked up and sat down to his left still a considerable amount away from his side. The ancient tree trunk was had a rather larger circumference so he sat facing one way and about two feet to his left sat Sakura facing another view.

She rested her head on her knees and shut her eyes.

_I'll be okay. I've survived so far and I've been given a second chance. This time, I won't run away or back down. This time, I'll weather out the storm. After all, I have to stand up for my ideals otherwise I'd just be a hypocrite._

_I will prove that I'm no coward even if I…don't make it in the end._

With renewed courage inside of her, she was finally able to find the peace of sleep and right away, it pulled her off the ground and carried her to a place where imagination ran wild. Her present situation was instantly forgotten.

Unfortunately for Sakura's companion, nightmares already began to scheme in his mind even before he was completely asleep. He felt himself drowning in his past and clawed desperately to come back to consciousness. Once he was back, he rubbed the back of his neck, irritated that the pain wouldn't subside. Sleeping didn't always provide an escape and this was one of those times. But being awake in the middle of the night with the chilly wind air coursing through his light jacket kept his senses up and as time passed, he felt them begin to sharpen.

Someone was coming.

Fast.

He turned to his left and saw her sleeping quietly with her head turned away from him. Her breathing was steady. _Good thing you said you weren't leaving because I can't always go and fetch you._

Taking a deep breath, he stood up and walked away from the tree and headed to a clearing not far away.

A cold voice greeted him as he stepped out into the field. "Uchiha Sasuke. The number one black member of Paradise."

Although the unusual cold wind picked up and blew Sasuke's jet-black hair around his injured face, he hardly felt its effect as his dark eyes locked onto his adversary's.

Obsidian met silver on the battlefield.

* * *

E/N: One guess as to who it is! Well, maybe two because the word choice technically isn't right but it sounds good enough for me. Hopefully there's going to more action in the next chapter! 


	7. Caught In Between

Author's Note: Hello! It's been awhile but I hope you guys still remember what happened so far. I'm glad to be back on track with this fic and I hope to write a couple more chapters before my spark of inspiration dies. Well enough with the nonsense. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Chapter 6: Caught In Between 

Uchiha Sasuke stood his ground before his opponent. His eyes were defiant and sharp as they stared into the silver orbs across the soon to be battlefield with determination and ferocity. Sasuke's appearance was steady and resolute which was actually the exact opposite of what he truly felt.

_What am I going to do? I can't fight anyone in this condition let alone him…Damnit, I'm in real trouble here._

A sudden cramping of his neck made him wince momentarily but was enough for his enemy to see. A slight condescending laugh ensued causing Sasuke to feel hatred and the much needed adrenaline course through his tired body.

"I see you got injured by Kiba. You really don't live up to your reputation Sasuke. Or maybe you do…maybe it's just the best that Paradise can offer."

"Shut the hell up." Sasuke breathed deeply trying to draw out the banter before the fight to regain some of his strength. He hoped that his neck's pain would subside soon. "I really don't need someone as weak as you telling me what's 'best' or not, Neji."

"What? Do you really care that much about your league?" Neji smirked at Sasuke's obvious frustration. He knew Sasuke's weakened state would make this a quick battle and that the target was soon to be in his possession. Neji was a smart guy; he also knew the Uchiha's game of drawing things out and he'd play along for a while. Being the predator in this game of cat and mouse certainly was amusing. Especially since it gave him a chance to taunt the prized fighter of his league's arch-enemy: Paradise.

"What I care or don't care about is none of your business." Sasuke figured this exchange of insults wasn't going to last much longer and that he needed a plan. At that point, he berated himself for not calling for back up. He'd always been very hesitant about the extra help and had never once resorted to that option. Oh well, at the very least he wouldn't have to break that streak. Talk about major pride and stubbornness.

"All right Sasuke, we'll have it your way." With that, Neji surged forward and aimed a kick at Sasuke's head. Prepared for Neji's attack, Sasuke swerved to the left only to find his vision blur from the sudden use of speed. Caught off guard by his lack of visibility, he staggered and was dealt a crushing blow to his right shoulder; which was coincidentally, the one injured by that ANBU official.

Sasuke went down on one knee and reached for his gun. Pulling it out, he aimed the gun toward…seemingly nothing since everything was unfocused. Suddenly, his senses sharpened and he felt Neji coming from behind. Quickly spinning around on his right knee, he aimed and fired at the swift figure. Two shots rang through the silence but missed the target. Sasuke's second bullet only managed to graze Neji on the cheek, which only left a small streak of blood. Neji closed in and dealt him another blow and this time, Sasuke fell to the ground gasping for breath.

_Damnit! I can't fight anymore. He's going to win…there's no doubt about that. The only thing I can do right now is to keep my mouth shut and hope that he doesn't find the target._

"Tell me where the girl is." Neji looked at the quivering figure at his feet. Victory took less than ten seconds just like he predicted. But Neji was an honorable fighter to some extent and didn't feel the rush of excitement. He knew Sasuke was a formidable opponent and would have rather fought him when he was in top condition, but this important mission was the first priority. Things didn't always go as planned so he'll just have to take this easy victory and be satisfied with it.

After a few moments of silence, Neji became impatient with the silent figure on the ground. He was obviously not going to get an answer at this rate. This was the last target they needed and Paradise was not going to give her up without a fight. Prepared, Neji began to contemplate means of getting his defeated opponent to talk.

Neji took out his gun and held it point-blank to Sasuke's head. This wasn't exactly the most original method of getting answers but Neji wasn't into the whole torturing victim thing. That was just distasteful. This way would be straight to the point and be much more simple for both of them.

It was talk or die. Well, the dying part was inevitable anyway.

Sasuke knew this was a lose-lose situation. One option was just slightly better than the other. Either way he was going to die but if he didn't say a word, maybe, just maybe, Sakura would wake up and run away making it impossible for Neji to find her. Then after she was a good distance away from Neji, some of the other Paradise members would be able to track her down and take her back to headquarters for investigation. Well, that was the best-case scenario.

"Fine." Neji sighed and tightened his hand on the trigger. "I'll still win anyway."

Sasuke gritted his teeth. So this was how it was going to end. Seconds before his life was about to taken by a bullet, he wasn't seeing flashes of his life before him; wasn't feeling regrets, fear, or hate…nothing in fact. Well, not nothing…he was in a state of peaceful shock if there was such a feeling. Most of his life had been a roller coaster ride with unexpected turns every second. Now, at the end, he knew what was coming and it didn't seem so bad. The only thing that irritated him was the fact that Hyuuga Neji was the one who was about to put a bullet in him.

_Guess this is it. I hope someone will be able to find her so this whole thing can just end._

"I'll see you in the next life, Uchiha."

Sasuke closed his eyes preparing for that infamous bright light down the dark tunnel that was soon to appear before him.

"STOP!"

A girl's voice pierced the night as the two young men turned their heads toward the forest where they saw a figure run toward them. Sakura's presence had quite an impact on the dramatic scene as they quickly realized who it was.

Neji looked surprised for a split second before realizing who she was. He smirked triumphantly but still held the gun where it was.

_Well, now I don't have to look for her. It seems that luck's on my side._

Sasuke on the other hand, was devastated. So now the target was going to belong to the enemy and more importantly, he was going to die a senseless death for nothing. Nothing!

_That idiot! What the hell is she doing!_

"You idiot! What the hell are you doing!"

Sakura only gasped for breath while the two looked at her with very different expressions. Aside from the fact that someone was about to be killed at that very moment, the scene was rather comical.

A few moments after Sasuke had left her, Sakura had awoken to find that she was alone. She was slightly confused at first as to why her captor would just abandon her. Being the smart girl she was, she figured something serious was going on and that her being with him was a liability so he'd left her behind. Nonetheless, she quietly followed the path to the clearing.

Once the clearing was in view, she saw the two figures about to have a little confrontation so she figured it'd be better to stay where she was. If the new guy won, her current location would be a secret and she would have a chance to get away. If "Mr. Hero" won, she'd just be back where she was and the guy didn't seem all that bad. If she had made a run for it, she'd be in big trouble if either of them found her. Since she stayed where she was, she knew what they were doing because you know what they say, keep your enemies close. It seemed like a logical way of thinking at the moment.

But this whole scheme of hers shattered to pieces when she saw her captor fall to the ground and was threatened with a gun. No, not only threatened…was about to be killed. Sakura knew that she was the cause for all of that and there was no way she would have someone's death on her conscience. So what else could she do but stop the scene before it really got out of hand? Next thing she knew, she was dashing towards the two of them as fast as she could.

"Don't kill him." Sakura eyed the gun that was pointed at Sasuke.

"Why shouldn't I?" Neji asked as he focused his eyes once more on the angry Sasuke who only glared daggers at Sakura.

"Um…"

_What can I possibly say that will make him lower the gun? I can't just say, "Oh yeah, don't kill him, that'd be so wrong!" These people's jobs probably involve killing people all the time! What the hell should I say?_

"W-well, because I'm the one you want and well…I'm here now so your job's done."

"So? Now that you're here, I can still kill him and take you. And unless you can fight me, which I seriously doubt, you're in no position to tell me what to do."

Sakura was not going to take that for an answer. She saw the gleam of a gun on the ground and quickly picked it up, holding it next to her temple.

Neji stared tiredly at the girl who just took away his chance of finally ending the rivalry between him and Sasuke. But then again, this was an excuse to fight him for real later on so it wasn't too bad. He'll deal with it.

Sasuke felt lower than dirt at that point and vowed to seriously take his revenge on Kiba if he ever saw him again. Not only did Kiba's injury make him lose to Neji, but it also made him be rescued…by a girl no less…and not just any girl, the target!

"Have it your way. Seems like you owe this girl your life Sasuke." Neji lowered the gun and motioned for Sakura to put down her weapon as well.

"No! I'm keeping this right here in case you turn around and kill him once I'm unarmed again."

Neji scoffed and began to walk back into the forest. He knew she would follow and that Sasuke was just too weak to do anything. If she didn't comply then he'd just have to use force.

Sakura looked at Neji's receding form and then stole a glance at Sasuke who was still on the ground and still glowering at her with the darkest look she'd ever seen. She quickly looked away but still didn't move toward her new captor.

It seemed ridiculous that she was a little hesitant to leave him. What? Just because he had "rescued" her from a nasty, old pervert and had shared a short conversation with her, she was now attached to him? What was she, crazy? Maybe not crazy but she knew this guy better than the other one. That's a reasonable explanation.

_I am not attached to him. I'm just…I've just been with him longer that's all and he seems to be a little, tiny bit human…_

Sakura took a tentative step toward Neji who was a considerable distance away but had slowed his pace for her to catch up. Obviously, he was confident that neither of them would pull anything and even if they did, he'd be able to handle it.

Sasuke was infuriated. All he could do was sit on the ground and watch as the target walked off with someone else. If he didn't do anything now, he would never be able to live it down. He had to do something, _anything_ to prevent his league from losing the girl. Trembling, he reached into his back pocket and produced the knife he'd used earlier that night. Taking careful aim, he threw the weapon in one swift move hoping that his usual accuracy would land that knife straight into the back of Neji's neck.

It might seem like an underhanded trick but Sasuke knew that Neji was no fool and would probably block it or dodge the knife altogether anyway. A desperate last move was always something that usually doesn't guarantee success.

Sakura, the only innocent normal person present, was unaware of Sasuke's plan and felt a shock when she felt something whiz pass her face aiming for the man in front of her.

Neji of course, knew what was coming and was just waiting until the last possible second before expertly moving toward the side. What fun is his job if not for show sometimes? But just before Neji could go through with his act, something shot out of the dark and knocked the knife off its course.

"What was that?"

Neji, Sakura and Sasuke all looked to their left where the something had come from. Sasuke was the first to snap back into his senses and stumbled toward Sakura. He grabbed her with his left arm while retrieving the gun with his right hand.

Seeing her confusion and hesitation, he jerked her arm and snarled, "Get moving!" A bewildered Sakura reluctantly broke into a run with him as they hurried away from Neji.

"What the hell are they thinking?" Neji sighed, exasperated that they would try something so absurd. He was truly disappointed at Paradise's most valuable member and would have laughed at Sasuke's pitiful efforts to retrieve the girl if not for his usual restraint. After a few moments, he began his roll of pursuer tiredly. While picking up his speed, he sensed a familiar presence as he followed the two back into the forest.

Sasuke and Sakura darted through the trees as fast as they could go. Sasuke tried to pick up the pace but failed as his condition worsened. He knew Neji was right behind them and it was only a matter of time before he caught up. They zigzagged through the stumps and bushes in hopes of losing their chaser but Sasuke knew it was futile.

Though still far away, Neji could see the two perfectly. He had put on his night vision goggles and the two targets were in range. His eyes followed their sporadic trail and he aimed his gun at the darker figure that lead the other.

"Well Uchiha, looks like I still get to kill you tonight." This was going to be better than he had expected. Sasuke was known for his swiftness and killing him when he was performing that signature skill satisfied him enough. It was his aim versus the legendary speed of Uchiha Sasuke. Neji steadied both hands on the gun as a signal indicated a go-ahead for the secured shot.

But just before his finger pulled on the trigger, he heard a voice break out in laughter behind him.

"I bet I'll hit my target before you hit yours!"

Neji spun around to find a grinning young man holding a gun to his face.

"You?"

The man opened his eyes to reveal a piercing electric blue. His spiky blonde hair was darkened by the night but still visible against the dark backdrop of trees.

"Yes, and I think it'll be a bull's eye."

* * *

E/N: Oh Neji, I finally have the chance to write you into a fic! Anyway, I hope this chapter was enjoyable and that the little hiatus did me some good. Thanks for reading and keep an eye out for the next chapter. 


	8. Return to Headquarters

Author's Note: Here's chapter eight! I am finally satisfied with it after cutting out a page or two. So I hope you enjoy this wild goose chase.

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

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Chapter 8: Return to Headquarters 

The full moon shone brightly above the tallest branches of the trees that hid the constant struggles down below.

After being the one making several threats that night with his gun, Neji was a little surprised to find himself being threatened. But being the Hyuuga Neji, he wasn't about to be afraid of the barrel of a mere gun that was barely two inches from his face. He smirked at the gun's owner who did nothing to hide his excitement at this apparent victory.

"Uzumaki, Naruto. I'm afraid I've only heard of your name. That's all I know."

"Well, at least you know my name." Naruto grinned darkly, seemingly unfazed by Neji's subtle insults. But truthfully, he was enraged.

_What! How the hell does he NOT know my name? I am a black member just like Sasuke and I still get booted to side like I'm nothing. That son of a…Okay, calm down. I need to stay calm and not blow this opportunity. If I have to get another lecture from that damn Sasuke or Kakashi, I am seriously going to lose it._

Neji, having been trained to see people's weakness immediately saw Naruto's frustration and weak attempts at hiding his anger. Just a little more should be enough to get him to lose his concentration.

"Wait, I think I remember something about you now. Weren't you infamous for being loud, obnoxious, and clumsy? Always the 'sidekick' of Uchiha Sasuke?"

Like he predicted, Naruto couldn't keep a hold on his temper.

"What the hell did you just say? Ah-" Naruto's potential outburst was interrupted something knocking the gun out of his hand.

Neji smirked and took the opportunity to go after his real prey. Although he might not be as fast as Sasuke, Neji was indeed just shy of the Uchiha's speed. Without a moment's hesitation, he was off in hot pursuit again; his agility unhindered by the forest's rough terrain.

"Oh no you don't!" Naruto followed Neji after swiftly retrieving his gun. Cursing to himself, he took aim at the fleeing figure before him. Naruto fired three shots but none of them hit the target. _Damnit! I've got to focus!_ Picking up his pace, Naruto steadied his hands on the gun and fired.

Neji felt a searing pain in his left arm as a bullet grazed his skin. He could feel the hot blood beginning to seep through his clothing.

_Well, it seems like he's better than I thought. I'd better get him off my tail or else the other two will get away._

Neji grabbed his communicator but before he could say anything, a voice spoke. "You need back up?"

"_No_, not back up. I just have a little training exercise for you since you're nearby anyway."

"Hey! I saved your life just now. Twice."

"You know as well as I do that I could have handled it myself."

"…"

"Well, are you going to take it or not?"

"Fine!"

Neji promptly put his communicator away and took several sharp turns hoping to give some time for his partner to arrive. The pain in his arm was stinging sharply as the blood continued to run down his arm. Although the bullet didn't embed itself in his skin, it had created a substantial tear in the flesh.

Naruto was relentless in his chase however and was hard on his heels. He was determined not to screw up this time and feel more inferior to Sasuke. It didn't matter that he was one of the top ranked members, as long as he wasn't satisfied, no one's compliments and opinions was going to affect him. A drop of sweat trickled down the side of his face as he determinedly urged himself to go faster and faster. Soon, Neji's figure was in view once again.

Four shots rang in the darkness causing Naruto to stop. Two bullets barely missed his feet while the other two managed to knock the gun out of his hand for the second time and nick his wrist. Naruto quickly sensed a figure behind him and moved his right foot back right before the sound of a bullet bounced off the hard ground where it had been.

Whoever was shooting was obviously just toying with him. The targets were dead-on and although it was still fairly dark, the shooter knew what he was capable of.

"This is going to be boring if I just kill you right now so I think I'll play fair and drag this out a little longer."

A figure descended from a branch and landed gracefully on the ground. Naruto glared at his new opponent until he realized it was a girl.

She looked innocent enough with a smile on her face and brown hair tied up in two buns but the way she held her gun pointed at him, he knew he was at her mercy.

"You know I don't fight girls right?"

"Well, I think you should know that I _do_ fight boys."

* * *

"Run faster!" Sasuke hissed at Sakura as they jumped over yet another natural obstacle. 

"I can't!" Sakura gasped as she felt her legs wobble. She had lost most of her strength about ten minutes ago and was basically only moving because Sasuke was pulling her along. She had no idea how he could still have so much stamina left.

"Listen, if you don't hurry it up, he's going to catch up and kill us! Do you understand?"

Sakura looked anything but scared much to Sasuke's dismay. "At this point, I figure that's about all you people do."

"Stop!" Sasuke ordered suddenly as he came to an abrupt halt causing Sakura to crash into him. Upon her impact, he lost his footing and slipped off the edge of a cliff but managed to grab hold of a protruding rock.

"I'm so sorry!" Sakura quickly grabbed his arm and began to help him up. As she took a look down, she almost had to throw up again. The cliff was so steep that a drop would mean certain death down an unknown chasm. She quickly gulped down the lump in her throat and focused her eyes on Sasuke so as to not think about the possible fall that could await her companion.

Sasuke had a strong hold but lacked the strength to pull himself up easily. Sakura had good intentions but she actually wasn't helping in any way. She was rather weak herself and was only hindering him. "Will you stop trying to help! If you wanted to help, you should have stopped when I told you to!"

"Hey, I couldn't stop in a split second! You should have told me sooner!" Sakura sat back, indignant that he refused her help. But it was as just as well since she really couldn't help him anyway.

So there they were. Rather awkward since he was stuck and she just couldn't leave him there. Moments passed by in silence as Sakura recapped everything that had happened.

_Let's see, I believe I got out of school, got drunk, kidnapped, assaulted, rescued, kidnapped again, rescued again, kidnapped again and got into more fights than I care to remember. What a night._

Sakura checked her watch, which read two forty-two. Its face reflected the soft light of the full moon above them. She stole a glance at Sasuke who had closed his eyes but was far from asleep lest he should let go and fall. Beads of sweat had formed on his brow and Sakura could tell he couldn't go on like that. His breathing was extremely ragged.

"I'm sorry."

Sasuke opened a bleary eye but still managed to glare at her. "Why do you keep apologizing?"

Sakura leaned over the edge so they could actually see each other clearly. "I just feel that all of this is my fault."

He scoffed and looked away. "Yeah, it sort of is." Sasuke was in no mood to calm the girl and was only being honest. After all, he was never one to give good heart-to-heart advice or whatever those were called.

"I know," Sasuke looked back at Sakura, who had sat back down, her face blocked from view by the ledge. He had expected her to be angry at his response but once again, her answer had surprised him. "And that's why," Sakura grabbed his arm once more. "I have got to help you get out of this mess!" With that, she pulled with all of the strength she had.

_This girl…I guess if she's going to try I have to, too._

After long, painful minutes of straining their bodies with strength from who knows where, Sasuke was reaching the top of the ledge and almost had one leg over the top.

Sakura, especially, was about to keel over any second but kept pulling with all the strength she could muster. _Damnit, if I ever survive this, I'm going to have to start working out!_

Although extremely tired, Sasuke's honed skills sensed someone approaching them. A strange sensation swirled in the pit of his stomach as he looked down the cliff. He was definitely screwed either way.

"Hey." Sakura saw a resolute look in his eyes as he called her attention.

"What is it?"

"He's coming." A hundred options flashed through Sakura's mind at those words. But ultimately it came down to one question: what should she do?

Sasuke looked at her trembling form and saw a tear escape one of her eyes and for the first time in a long while, he felt a fleeting pang of guilt. She _was_ just an innocent girl. But the feeling was gone just as fast as it had come since the footsteps had become audible.

"You two managed quite a distance. I'm impressed." Neji made his way out of the brush and pointed his gun at Sasuke's barely visible arm. He fired.

The bullets slammed into the ledge but hit Sasuke's hold. Just as he felt the sturdy rock leave his fingers, something replaced it. Sakura had grabbed his hand and jumped off the ledge. Gravity soon took hold and the two plummeted down into the void as the darkness surged upwards and consumed their figures.

"I can't believe it." Neji murmured as he stood at the cliff's edge. After a few moments he took out his communicator. "Tenten, go back to headquarters and tell Lee to wait for me before going to report."

"Got it."

Neji continued staring down into the darkness as he contemplated what to say in his report.

* * *

Naruto narrowly dodged another dagger as he managed to hide behind a tree. He had retrieved his gun before but every time he'd try to shoot, it had been knocked out of his hand. But this time, he'd be able to have a cover so maybe he'd have a shot. 

"I'm sorry Naruto but we have to stop."

"What?" Naruto peered out from behind his tree and saw his opponent with her hands up.

"I've got to go but next time, we'll have to do this again." She smiled and retreated.

"What the hell is going on here, damnit?" After several moments of cursing and venting his frustration, Naruto settled on finding Sasuke and hoped to meet Neji again. But after searching for an hour, he came up with nothing.

"Sasuke! Where the hell are you!"

"Okay, Naruto, you know that totally blows your cover right?"

"What the hell do you want Shikamaru!" Naurto snapped as he took out his communicator.

"Come back to headquarters."

"FINE!"

Naruto began to make his way back with dissatisfaction and whether he acknowledged it or not, he was worried for his missing friend who would have usually answered his urgent call right away.

* * *

E/N: The next chapter is going to be a little different from these first couple of ones. I hope it's going to be a nice change to the pace of the story because personally, I was getting a little bored with what was happening. Well we'll see what happens. Thanks for reading! 


	9. Bitter Surrender

Author's Note: This chapter is reminiscent of the beginning of this story. I hope it's a nice change.

Disclaimer: All characters are owned by Masashi Kishimoto

* * *

Chapter 9: Bitter Surrender 

"Stand up. Stop groveling on the floor."

"Screw you."

The sound of cracking bones soon followed as Asuma finished dealing his prisoner a heavy blow to the ribs. A shower of blood splattered on the floor as the victim slumped forward with haggard breathing.

"You know what?" Asuma bent down on his knees to look square in the young man's piercing eyes. "I don't want to do this and you don't want to do this so why not just confess? It'd be a hell of a lot easier on the both of us, Gaara. What do you say?"

A ferocious, bloodshot green eye glared up in response.

Asuma shrugged indifferently as he wiped the specks of blood that tainted his brass knuckles. "Whatever you want, kid. Kakashi will be in to see you soon." With that the ANBU officer left the cell of Target 50.

Gaara lay seemingly immobilized on the floor as the single light hanging over him flickered in the dimly lit cell. The smell of blood permeated the cramped space– with no window to allow air to circulate, one would feel the suffocation of an imminent fate. However, it was just precious air to a prisoner who had the acquired smell of blood imprinted in his mind everyday for the last three years.

Gasping for air, Gaara struggled to remain conscious for his promised rendezvous with Kakashi. If he surrendered to the sweet bliss of darkness, Kakashi would take that as a sign of weakness and believe that his interrogation was finally getting somewhere after three long, unproductive years.

Sure enough, Gaara could soon hear footsteps descending the steps that led to his door. In seconds, the handle of the doorknob turned and in came the leader of Paradise. Hatake Kakashi stared down amiably at the bleeding young man sprawled out on the floor in front of him with the usual crinkle of the only visible eye. Sidestepping the poor victim, Kakashi headed toward a wooden bench on the far side of the cell and sat down comfortably–after all this was a routine chore.

"How are you today, Gaara?"

Sucking in a sharp intake of breath from the his aching side, Gaara managed to prop up an elbow and slide himself up against the wall adjacent from the silver haired man. He was determined not to look weak and defeated in front of Kakashi. Not now, not ever.

"I've always wondered why you would speak so politely to people then turn around and kick them like dogs."

Although a black mask hid most of Kakashi's face, Gaara could make out a wry smile underneath. Kakashi chuckled softly and nodded in agreement to the previous insult.

"True, I do lack in hospitality despite my manners," He stood up and in three strides had reached the other side of the cell. "But today, I want to follow all the way through."

"What do you mean?" Gaara spat defiantly as Kakashi stooped to his eye level.

"It's been quite awhile since you've been out of here, Gaara. How about we take a walk?" Kakashi paused as Gaara narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "A walk outside. In the sunshine."

* * *

As the steel doors opened, a pain shot through his eyes and immediately, Gaara raised trembling hand to shield them from the penetrating glare of the once familiar sun. 

"Yes, it's been quite some time…four, five months perhaps?" Kakashi mused as he walked over to the shade several trees in the center of the courtyard. Gaara clumsily fumbled his way over to the darker area as well.

"Why did you bring me out here?"

"You don't enjoy some quality time?"

"No." Adjusting his eyes to the blinding light, Gaara could make out the cemented courtyard, the healthy trees in their prime at the beginning of summer and all of the guarded doors that meant no possible option for an escape. He turned his eyes to Kakashi who merely shrugged off his surly attitude.

"I guess no matter how long I keep you locked up, it'll never dull your senses," Kakashi folded his arms in a matter-of-fact fashion and cleared his throat. "The reason I've brought you out here is for a celebration."

"Get on with it you bastard."

Kakashi laughed clearly enjoying the taunting. "Maybe it's your subconscious reacting to this ominous feeling that always comes with my tidings because you clearly don't have a grasp on what exactly I'm aiming at. Or it is possible that you could just hate me."

"That's a fact all right."

"Well, I guess since you hate me, you'll just love getting the bad news."

Gaara could feel his throat constrict with a terrible foreboding that sent a cold shiver down his spine. The last time he felt this was right before he'd learn of his elder brother's death…

"I've found the last piece of the puzzle."

Kakashi turned to see Gaara's arrogant countenance shatter into horror and shock and melt instantly to utter disbelief.

"Damn liar."

"I assure you I'm not. My team has found the last 'Target' as we say around here and it is only a matter of time until we get the information from her as well."

Gaara quickly thought of the possible options that raced in his mind.

_Could this be another clever trick by Kakashi to get me riled up and extract my own information? Or maybe he has heard of something but is merely bluffing? It's been several years so why now? Why did Kakashi choose this time to break the news? Where did he get the information? But whatever reason he's got one thing is for certain, Kakashi **does** possess some knowledge since he knows the last person is a girl…_

"I see you are beginning to have second thoughts?" Gaara snapped his attention back to Kakashi and found him smiling, apparently satisfied with the reaction he saw.

_Damn._

"This is no jest, Gaara. I'm sure you know of whom I'm talking about," Kakashi began pacing back and forth in a slow methodical walk that kept Gaara's attention hanging on his every word. "She's young, around your age, I believe…a student in college, quite bright according to our intelligence report. She just moved here…convenient that she was all alone when we first caught her."

"You son of a…"

"Shh," Kakashi held a finger to his covered lips mockingly. "I'm just getting to the good part. Let's see, ah yes…she's rather skinny, has fair skin, the most innocent green eyes…" He suddenly looked at Gaara sympathetically. "Something that you use to have I'm sure."

Gaara trembled with rage as Kakashi listed the details that were slowly but surely forming a picture in his mind. Piece by piece, the image of the person that he had hoped all these years would remain hidden for all eternity played back and forth in his mind like a tangled movie reel. There was no mistaking it now. Kakashi knew who it was and there was no point in feigning an act as if he doesn't know.

The adrenaline pumping through his body unleashed a fury that overcame his recent injury in the ribs. Pushing himself off his feet, Gaara lunged at the silver haired man with a fist aimed for his jaw. But the seasoned fighter simply dodged the assault smoothly and stepped to the right causing Gaara's momentum to send him off his balance and crashing to the ground.

"Can't have any of that," With a single swift move he planted his right heel on Gaara's back pinning him down. Then he started grinding his heel adding pressure to the boy's cracked ribs against the ground. "I hope you realize that you're much worse than me when it comes to manners. Now, let me finish."

Gaara could only grit his teeth in pain as he felt the excruciating pain throb on his side simultaneously with his heartbeat. Each grind made his eyes water but he absolutely refused to let them fall.

"See, Gaara? Even after all of these years I have got the last target. All of your efforts were wasted. Every single torturing day you've endured through the last three years was for naught. Soon I will have the key to ensure this league's future." The pressure increased as Kakashi rested one arm on his knee and bent down lower to witness the boy's face.

"You sadistic bastar–" Another grinding of the heel made his sentence end with a gasp for air.

"You'll find out just how sadistic that is once Haruno Sakura gets here."

"No…"

"Yes, I'm afraid," Kakashi finally relented and lifted his foot off of Gaara's back. He dusted himself off out of habit and donned his calm demeanor once more. "I apologize about that Gaara, it's just I've bottled up a good amount of stress with you these past years and I just couldn't keep it in anymore."

He began to make his way back into the building and passed by the shivering Gaara curled up in a ball. "Oh by the way, it was your late sister who gave me the information I needed."

Kakashi suddenly caught a gleam from the ground and lifted his left foot in time to narrowly miss the dagger that had aimed for his Achilles tendon. In one motion, Kakashi brought his foot down and crushed Gaara's hand beneath his sole. The boy cried out in agony as several distinct cracking sounds came from his broken fingers. Kakashi kicked the crippled hand away and bent down to pick up the dagger. He examined the engraved symbol on the handle and smiled fondly.

"Beautiful. It brings back such good memories," Kakashi reached for his communicator. "Don't send for the medics yet, Target 50 needs some time to be by himself for now." Without another word, he pocketed the dagger, left and shut the door behind him with a resounding thud.

The heavy sound of steel against steel reverberated in Gaara's ear as he lay there cradling his crippled hand. Despite the broken bones in his ribs and hand, all he could feel was the numbness seeping from the wounds throughout his entire body. Everything was gone. His brother, his sister and the one chance of their secret dying with him was lost. They had found her and he had failed in his mission.

After what seemed like hours, the medics arrived to treat Gaara of his injuries. They fussed over his heart rate, loss of blood, fatigue, irregular breathing, broken bones and the list only grew. But he let them do their duty; let them fuss, let them take care of his weak self, let them do something they hadn't been able to do since he'd been captured and forced into solitude at this hellhole. For the first time in three years, Gaara finally surrendered to the darkness that rapidly enveloped him from the outside world.


End file.
